Susan L. Perkins, Attorney | Principal

Biography

Susan Perkins is the Principal of Perkins Energy Law, a renewable energy law firm in the Denver Tech Center which has as its focus providing legal and energy policy assistance for the development of renewable and sustainable energy resources in Colorado. Ms. Perkins contributes to the formulation of local, state and national renewable energy policies, and represents a wide range of clients who share the common goal of advancing the use of renewable and sustainable energy resources. These clients include municipalities, real estate developers, producers of carbon offsets, and companies involved in distributed and utility-scale solar, wind, biomass and geothermal technologies.

Ms. Perkins has practiced law for over thirty years, working initially with top energy law firms and later with a Fortune 200 independent oil company in legal and executive management positions of increasing responsibility.

Susan Perkins graduated in 1975 from the University of Houston, Bates College of Law, after which she practiced law with the international law firm of Vinson & Elkins, Houston, Texas. There she worked on large, complex, energy-related transactions. She developed expertise in the areas of oil and gas law, real property, energy and financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law, and regulatory law practicing before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Texas Railroad Commission. In 1981, Ms. Perkins moved to Colorado to join the Denver office of the Philadelphia-based international law firm of Dechert Price and Rhodes, where she provided natural gas expertise.

In 1983, Ms. Perkins began a successful 17-year career with Total Petroleum and its successors, Ultramar Diamond Shamrock and Valero Energy. She initially served as chief counsel for Total’s exploration and production division. After completing an MBA in International Business from Regis University in Denver, Ms. Perkins was asked to lead a newly-developed business development team. In that position, she was awarded Total’s Chairman’s Profitability Award for initiatives that meant millions of dollars to her company. These initiatives included a first-of-its kind international strategic energy alliance.

A corporate reorganization in the year 2000 that would have required Ms. Perkins to relocate to Texas provided her with the opportunity to start her own law firm in Colorado. She initially focused on providing a full suite of legal services to entrepreneurs and start-up companies, including corporate organization and structure, contract negotiations, the purchase, sale, leasing, and financing of real estate, the management of intellectual property portfolios, and the creation of exit strategies for businesses, including the sale and purchase of ongoing businesses, and the protection and transfer of assets and transfer through estate and trust planning.

After attending a scientific conference in 2006 which described the severe damage that will occur to Colorado’s fragile ecosystems if temperatures continue to rise, Ms. Perkins refocused her practice on clients working to develop sustainable and renewable energy resources in Colorado. She represents a diverse group of clients ranging from governmental entities, industry associations, and distributed and utility-scale renewable energy developers. As the area of renewable and sustainable energy law evolves, her expertise continues to grow. Professionally, Ms. Perkins is known for her collaborative style, her willingness to take on challenging projects, and her ability to achieve results.

Ms. Perkins is especially interested in encouraging distributed generation and advocating for local energy autonomy. She is a member of the Boulder Climate Action Network as Boulder continues to show national leadership in the development of innovative energy policies. Ms. Perkins is a frequent speaker and lecturer on the subject of renewable energy, including frequent appearances on the Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting Station program “Colorado State of Mind,” where she encourages and engages in thoughtful discourse on important, energy-related issues.

Anduin Suchan, Certified Paralegal

Susan Perkins is joined by Anduin Suchan, who has served as the firm’s paralegal for the past five years. Anduin is a proficient paralegal trained in contract drafting, legal research, and project management. Mr. Suchan’s experience brings added value and efficiency to our clients. Anduin Suchan holds an Accredited Paralegal Certificate from Arapahoe Community College, which he earned in 2007.